Razorbackers go 'Behind Enemy Lines' with Colton Pickard of All for Tennessee for Q & As

Q&A cont.

Q: One of the things that separates the SEC from the other Power Four conferences is talent in the trenches. How do you see that matchup shaking out between Arkansas and Tennessee?

A: Heupel has put together a deep and vicious front seven on defense, which has been a game-changer for the Vols through the season's first four games. I know Arkansas struggled on the offensive line last year, but they have improved this year, so I'm interested to see how the Vols' defensive line responds to another SEC test.

Tennessee will also have John Campbell Jr and Lance Heard for this game, which is huge for the Vols' offensive line. They struggled against Oklahoma's defensive line without Heard and Campbell throughout most of that game, so watching to see if the Vols o-line remains healthy could be Tennessee's biggest challenge moving forward.

Q: It might be the homer in me, but I think the Razorbacks' defense is underrated. Both Arkansas and Oklahoma held Auburn to 21 points or less. Do you think Tennessee could have trouble getting the ball rolling against the Hogs like it did against the Sooners?

A: I have been big on Arkansas all season, so I don't disagree with you. Excluding the Oklahoma State game, I think the Razorbacks are exceeding expectations on both sides of the ball, especially on defense. Auburn isn't a great football team, but it's hard to hold any SEC team to 14 points, and I think we could see a close game, especially the first half, similar to Tennessee's games against NC State and Oklahoma. The spread sits at two touchdowns. I hope I'm wrong, but I'd be surprised if Tennessee runs away with the win and easily covers in this game.